In Focus by The Hindu

Episodes

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  Plague case in Siberia: what we know and what we should know 16.10.2026 29m

  This month, a word that has not been in the news for decades perhaps, suddenly erupted: the death of a lab worker in Siberia, sparked concerns, rumours online and theories as to what really happened, given that official information coming out was limited. The worker, Darya Shiplova, who worked at a plague research institute in Siberia, is believed to have died of pneumonic plague. Russia subsequently quarantined dozens of people but said there was no risk of an epidemic, while a WHO official, meanwhile, called for the country to provide more information. But what is plague and why is it that is has been more or less forgotten? What was India’s tryst with plague in the 1890s and then again in Surat in 1994? How infectious is it and how is it treated? Is there really a risk of a plague breakout? Guest: Rajib Dasgupta: Head, Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University Host: Zubeda Hamid Producer: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  In Focus-Parley | Can wildlife thrive in India without active human intervention?  15.10.2026 55m

  How should India balance wildlife conservation with development, local livelihoods and the need for scientific research? In this discussion, Prof Qamar Qureshi, formerly of the Wildlife Institute of India, and Prof Uma Ramakrishnan of the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, examine the changing approaches to conservation, the challenges of protecting threatened species and the need to make conservation science more inclusive and responsive to the realities on the ground. Host: Jacob Koshy Producer: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  SIR row: Are ‘vote chori’ protests a setback to the Hindutva project? 15.10.2026 1h 4m

  October 10th witnessed a massive display of state repression in the national capital. Brutal violence was unleashed against journalists, students, activists and citizens who wanted to protest at Jantar Mantar, seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. India’s Opposition parties have united over the demand that Gyanesh Kumar must go and the SIR must be annulled. Even as the government responded by denotifying Jantar Mantar as a protest site, the Congress has vowed to ‘reclaim’ Jantar Mantar. The Opposition’s overarching political plank, as of today, is to ‘save Indian democracy’, and ‘save the Constitution’, by fighting to protect the ordinary Indian’s right to vote. It has announced plans to continue this protest campaign until the demands are met. This raises some key questions: does the SIR issue resonate with the masses? Can we really be sure that today’s protesters, despite all their grievances, will not go back and vote for the BJP come election time? Can we read bigger and bigger protests as a setback for the Hindutva project? Or, is the BJP-RSS juggernaut resilient enough to survive expressions of large-scale dissent? Joining us today is Ajay Gudavarthy, Associate Professor in Political Science at the Centre for Political Studies, JNU. Host: G Sampath Producer: Shiksha Jural Video: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Starlink, Jio and the battle for India’s satellite internet 14.10.2026 25m

  Over a year after Jio Platforms and SpaceX announced a deal to bring Starlink satellite internet to India, multi-billionaire Elon Musk has taken a public swipe at the Ambani family and the Indian government. In a sarcastic post on X, the billionaire described Mukesh Ambani as India’s prime minister and the country’s “real boss,” reigniting debate over Starlink’s delayed entry into one of the world’s biggest internet markets. But beyond the social media sparring lies a bigger battle over competition, market power and regulation. Why is Starlink’s India launch taking so long? Is the government’s cautious approach to satellite internet protecting national interests, or limiting competition? And what could the tussle mean for Jio Platforms as it prepares for an IPO? In this episode of The Hindu’s In Focus, Technology Editor John Xavier unpacks the political and business stakes behind the Musk–Ambani feud, examining India’s approach to satellite internet, the regulation of monopolies, and the competing interests shaping the country’s digital future. Host: Sahana Venugopal Camera: Thamodaran Producer & editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Anti-SIR protests: Springboard for an Opposition comeback?  13.10.2026 33m

  Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said there are “no parallel protests”, there is only one protest – demanding the rollback of SIR, and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Leaders from almost every INDIA bloc party joined the Congress-led march to the Supreme Court on Monday, drawing massive crowds from all over the country. Has the alleged ‘vote chori’ issue finally managed to unite the entire Opposition? What’s really at stake on the question of whether Gyanesh Kumar stays or resigns? And how do these protests compare with the one in July, that sought the resignation of the then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan? To unpack the political ramifications of the ongoing protests, we are joined today by Anand Mishra, Political Editor with Frontline magazine. Host: G Sampath Producer: Shiksha Jural Video: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  New research has linked 12% of cancer cases to infections: what does this mean? 12.10.2026 31m

  We’re used to thinking of cancer as something for which there is no known cause and we know that risk factors include using tobacco and excessive alcohol as well as obesity. And while of these factors are true, what we may not have realised is that infections could also, in some cases, lead to cancers. A new study conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer or IARC, has now found that infections were responsible for 2.3 million new cancer cases in 2024, or 12% of the total cases globally that year. What infections? A bacterium and several viruses were linked cancer cases, and what is significant is that a large proportion of these cases were found in low- and middle-income countries. What are the cancers caused by infectious agents, and how common are they? Could vaccines eliminate these sorts of cancers? Are there vaccines available for all the viruses and bacteria that cause cancers? What kind of screening programmes and preventive measures should we take? Guest: Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, Convener Research Cell Kerala State IMA Physician and gastroenterologist Host: Zubeda Hamid Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Central Delhi lockdown: How did Jantar Mantar turn a protest site? 10.10.2026 26m

  All roads, it seems, lead to the good old Jantar Mantar. Or do they, considering many of them are closed these days. Built in 1724, Jantar Mantar was not always the preferred site for anyone with a prayer, petition or protest on mind. The protest sites at various times in the past were at Boat Club where one remembers anti cow slaughter protests some 50 years ago followed by those during the Babri Masjid-Ramjanambhoomi stir. Then the Ramlila grounds became the place where thousands would gather to vent their anger against the government. It was here that the India Against Corruption protest caught the common man's imagination. As for Jantar Mantar, for ages it was an observatory where schools brought the youngsters to imbibe scientific spirit. Today it throbs with the soul of democracy, from the Cockroach Janata Party to the Congress to the entire INDIA Bloc, Jantar Mantar is the place to be as the Opposition seeks the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. So what is it about Jai Singh's 18th Century creation that draws everyone to it? Telling us this and more is noted historian Ruchika Sharma who runs a hugely popular YouTube show and is renowned as one of the more frank and fearless voices on matters of history. Host: Ziya Us Salam Producer: Shiksha Jural Video: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Election Commission Controversy: Who authorised the modified Form 6? 09.10.2026 36m

  The big Election Commission of India (ECI) story that made headlines this week is the Form 6 controversy. Who authorised the modifications to Form 6, which is used for enrolling new voters? The Election Commission has been claiming all along that the changes had the Supreme court’s approval. But on October 5th, the Supreme Court clarified that it had not approved any Form 6 modifications. Does this mean the Election Commission had mislead the nation, as is being claimed by the Opposition parties? Also, two out of the three election commissioners had objected to these changes, with one of them calling it “unauthorised and illegal”. Does the CEC have the power to override their objections? So, who authorised the Form 6 modifications? What happened to the written objections of the other two Election Commissioners? Given that a great many eligible voters were affected by these changes, should the entire SIR be annulled? Guest: Vipul Mudgal, a Trustee of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Director of Common Cause, non-profits working for electoral reform Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  In Focus-Parley | Are legal guarantees insufficient in abolishing untouchability? 08.10.2026 45m

  In August this year, the performance of a "purification" ritual by certain Hindu groups in Uttarakhand, at the location where Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, who belongs to a Dalit community, addressed a public rally, led to a national conversation on the practice of untouchability. This discourse was shaped as Opposition Congress leaders accused the ruling BJP dispensation of practicing caste discrimination and the Uttarakhand BJP chief defended the ritual saying it was meant to "cleanse" the area of the ideas that Mr. Kharge was espousing at the rally. After a sustained campaign from opposition leaders and civil society actors, an FIR was registered in the matter as well. Are legal guarantees insufficient in abolishing untouchability? Noted scholar and political theorist Valerian Rodrigues and Supreme Court Advocate Disha Wadekar join us in this episode to discuss the question. Host: Abhinay Lakshman Producer: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  From AI to Super Intelligence: Trump's new American AI Agenda 07.10.2026 39m

  On September 29, U.S. President Donald Trump hosted the country's top technology business leaders as he embarked on a project to rename artificial intelligence (AI) as "Super Intelligence" and "SI”. There, he announced the White House Accord on Super Intelligence, which was signed by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, XAI CEO Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and OpenAI President Greg Brockman. The AI Accord that they signed is “morally binding”, per Mr. Trump. The Big Tech leaders, known for their liberal, centrist, or even neutral political stances, stood smiling, flanking the President, sharing press-ready messages about balancing AI risks and regulations. But the newly formed Super Intelligence Force (SIF) task force indicates that the federal government is not planning to remain a mere bystander as AI giants try to police themselves. What does the AI-to-SI change mean for the U.S. and the world? What are the dynamics at play amongst the companies that signed the AI Accord? And what is Trump's strategy for keeping America ahead of the world in AI? Host: Sahana Venugopal, The Hindu's Technology Desk Guest: John Xavier, Technology Editor at The Hindu Camera: Shivaraj Producer and Editor: Shiksha Jural Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Is NCERT Rewriting Medieval Indian History for Class 9? 06.10.2026 28m

  Last week the NCERT revised its book on medieval history for Class 9 students. The book, Understanding Society: India and Beyond, presents a long span of 700 years from 1000 AD to 1700 as one of resistance and resilience, a period when the Rajputs, the Jats, the Sikhs and the Ahoms resisted foreign invasions. The period is presented as the one in which the "Indian society not only defended itself from external threats but also preserved its traditions”. In many ways this book is a continuation of the process of presenting history through a new prism, a process which began in 2023 and has seen each succeeding edition reduce the space given to the contribution of the Mughals in particular, and, as many historians point out, it "virtually reduces mediaeval Indian history to battles, blood and gore". Tune in to know the facts of history and what's right or wrong with the new social science book Guest: Prof. Farhat Hasan, noted historian on pre-modern South Asian history Host: Ziya Us Salam. Associate Editor, The Hindu Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Can India make cancer care more affordable? 05.10.2026 1h 1m

  The Supreme Court has called out the rampant profiteering in the healthcare sector, including cancer medication. Terming the overpricing of essential cancer medicines as “broad, daylight dacoity”, the court said, “This is carnage. Plain and simple. The cancer drug is priced at an MRP of Rs 27,000 despite being supplied to retailers for Rs 2,700.” Ten times higher markup! It also suggested capping the profit margin for all medicines at 16%. India’s cancer burden is growing at an alarming rate. Every year, we record 15.6 lakh new cancer cases, and 9 lakh deaths due to cancer. More than 90% of India’s working population doesn’t have a stable or formal employment. A majority of them are not adequately covered by health insurance. Taken together, this means high out of pocket expenditure for treatment, which imposes a huge economic burden on the patient’s family. A recent survey showed that the overall prevalence of Catastrophic Health Expenditure (CHE) was 80.4% due to outpatient treatment. Clearly, the stratospheric costs of medicines, diagnostics and consultation fees are unsustainable for most Indians. Doesn’t the government have a responsibility here? Why can’t off-patent drugs be made cheaper? Can centralised, pooled procurement, and value-based pricing improve affordability of cancer care in India? Guest: Dr. Indranil Mukhopadhyay, Professor at the School of Government and Public Policy, OP Jindal Global University. Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Kaziranga’s Eco-sensitive Zone: What could a smaller buffer mean for wildlife and development? 03.10.2026 28m

  Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is at the centre of a debate over how much protection should extend beyond its boundaries. The Assam government has proposed a site-specific Eco-Sensitive Zone of around 1-3 km in different stretches, replacing the 10-km buffer currently applicable to Kaziranga. In this episode, we unpack what an Eco-Sensitive Zone actually does, why these zones are created around protected areas, and what the Supreme Court has said about their minimum extent and site-specific nature. The conversation looks at the legal process for changing Kaziranga’s ESZ, the concerns of communities living around the park, and the importance of areas outside the national park that are used by wildlife. We also examine what a narrower ESZ could mean for development and tourism around Kaziranga, as well as concerns over mining and quarrying in the wider Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong landscape. Guest: Ritwick Dutta, Environmental lawyer and Managing Trustee, Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment Host: Devyanshi Bihani Producer: Shiksha Jural Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  U.S.-China : A new superpower détente? 02.10.2026 28m

  U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met last week for a summit aimed at easing tensions between the world’s two largest economies. The meeting produced agreements on trade and rare earths, along with unusually warm public messaging from both sides. But major differences over Taiwan, technology and the broader strategic rivalry remain. The summit comes at a time when Mr. Trump’s approach to China appears increasingly transactional, even as Washington continues to compete with Beijing for influence across the Indo-Pacific. It also comes at a significant moment for India, with the U.S. President stepping up engagement with both China and Pakistan. So, what did Trump and Xi actually achieve at the summit? How should we read the U.S. approach to Taiwan? And What does the growing engagement between Washington and Beijing mean for India? Guest: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu Host: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Camera: Shivaraj S Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  In Focus-Parley | Should ECI take action against those filing forms for mass deletions? 01.10.2026 37m

  As Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls Phase 3 unfolds, a surge in Form 7 applications, the mechanism for seeking deletion of names, in Karnataka has raised an alarm. More than 4,000 such forms were filed in the state, with 1,363 in one place coming from just ten electors, many reportedly targeting Muslim names. Uttarakhand has seen objections filed in an ERO’s name without his knowledge, while in earlier phase 2 in West Bengal, data shows nearly 90% of Form 7 applications were accepted. Similar cases have been reported by The Hindu from Rajasthan and Gujarat earlier. What does the law require of the Electoral Registration Officer, and why is it Section 31 of RPA Act rarely invoked? Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa and Prasenjit Bose, Congress leader and petitioner in West Bengal SIR case in Supreme Court, discuss misuse, deterrence and the need for reform in the system in this conversation. Host: Sreeparna Chakrabarty Producer: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Can India’s cities rise to the looming demographic challenge? 30.09.2026 41m

  India is entering a demographic window of opportunity. For the next 15 years or so, our ratio of our working age population to the dependent population will be the highest. This is a historic opportunity to convert this demographic dividend into economic dividend.Now, cities are the engines of economic growth. To make our demographic dividend count, we need to create urban dividend. This basically means that our cities should be able to offer millions of jobs, host thousands of firms, and provide the urban services needed to sustain a large working population.Is India ready for this challenge?A new article titled, ‘Unlocking India’s Urban Dividend’, points out that India is not even accurately mapping its urban spread, and argues that unless we empower our cities, India will fail to encash its urban dividend. We are joined today by the author of this essay, demographic expert Apoorva Jadhav, who is a Non-resident Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Senior Fellow at the Population Reference Bureau, Washington, DC. Guest: Apoorva Jadhav, Demographic export Host: G. Sampath Edited and published by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  India vs Brazil: Is the spectacle worth the cost? 29.09.2026 22m

  Joy Bhattacharjya discusses the scale and cost of organising the fixture, India’s decision to prioritise Brazil over the ASEAN Cup and the wider debate over the AIFF’s priorities Brazil are coming to India for a high-profile friendly in Kolkata, but what does the game really mean for Indian football? The high costs involved and India's decision to pull out of the inaugural ASEAN Cup to accommodate this fixture have sparked a debate on the merits of hosting star teams while India’s domestic football structure continues to face challenges. Does a marquee game against Brazil justify the investment, and should Indian football be focusing more on high-profile friendlies or strengthening its domestic leagues and grassroots structure? Guest: Joy Bhattacharjya, sports administrator, author and analyst Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  From KYC to AI models: Is India losing its digital sovereignty? 28.09.2026 54m

  Technology, and especially AI, are no longer just a tool for humans. Today they control our choices, shape our daily routines, and determine how we invest our energies. This is true at the level of the individual, and also at the level of the nation-state. While at the individual level, the key question concerns freedom, for the nation-state, it’s more about sovereignty – does India get to independently decide its own policies, or are they pre-decided for it by other geopolitical actors? A good example is how our banks do KYC. Thanks to a poorly designed framework, it has served as a blunt tool for mindless harassment and has failed to curb violations of sovereignty via money-laundering. If we can’t get a simple KYC right, how well is India placed to navigate the complex landscape of fast-evolving LLMs and AI models, which pose major challenges to freedom and sovereignty? A new book, titled ‘Power of Uncertainty: The Battle for Privacy, Identity and Sovereignty’ tries to answer these very questions. We speak to its authors, V. Anand, a cybersecurity expert, and Srinath Sridharan, corporate advisor and author. Host: G Sampath Producer: Shiksha Jural Camera: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Weekend Bonus episode | Where have the birds gone? with Asad Rahmani 26.09.2026 54m

  In this special weekend bonus episode, we have a crossover with the Hindu's Rearview podcast. Common birds are no longer common. Rural landscapes now host fewer Black Drongos and Indian Rollers; Nightjars call less frequently from the edges of forests; Black-shouldered Kites perch less often on telegraph wires; Eagles are scarcer in the skies; and Harriers patrol protected grasslands in dwindling numbers as they search for insects. What is causing this disappearance? Renowned ornithologist and former Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) director Dr Asad Rahmani’s latest book, ‘Where Are the Birds Gone?’, investigates the alarming long-term decline of bird populations across the Indian subcontinent and the reasons behind it. Hosts: Sobhana K Nair & Jacob Koshy Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Should ongoing SIR be junked and pre-SIR voter rolls restored 25.09.2026 1h 8m

  From the beginning, civil society and section of political parties have questioned an exercise of such enormous scale, one that was presented as an effort to clean up the electoral rolls and identify suspected foreign nationals, but has already led to more than 13 crore names being deleted at the draft stage.Those concerns have now moved beyond the SIR, into the functioning of the Election Commission. A recent investigation report found that two of the three Election Commissioners raised formal objections 14 times in 10 months over decisions relating to electoral rolls and SIR, including the centralisation of the voter database.What do these objections reveal about the way SIR is being conducted, and about the institution overseeing it? Guest: Parakala Prabhakar, Economist and Author Host: Rishita Khanna Edited and published by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices